Mr Tony Stark
by deadlybeautiful
Summary: Pepper's thoughts on Tony before and after a mission. Fluff.


**My first Iron Man fan fiction. I would really appreciated some feedback. Please and Thank you.**

**I don't own Iron Man.**

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Mr. Tony Stark

Red and gold, flashy and over the top: completely and utterly Tony.

Pepper Potts was never one for confessions or mess for that matter, but she loved Tony. Mess and all. She would never tell him though; courage was something Potts never had a lot of. Organization skills and shoes, yes: courage, no.

The only time she ever had, it was for Tony.

He is suiting up. The sound of gears winding and armor clicking into place wash into her ears, made bile rise in her throat. She's afraid for him. She's afraid he won't come back.

She doesn't know what she'll do if he doesn't come back. She doesn't want to think about what she'll do. She doesn't want to think about a world without Tony Stark.

His suit is on when he turns to her, his mask still up so she can see his familiar smile.

"Don't look so sad, Potts. You won't have to go job hunting." and with that he slides his mask on and takes off. It's Tony's way of saying that he'll be back, that he'll be fine. Pepper doesn't feel reassured. If anything, it only makes her more worried.

Tony had asked her -before the press conference from hell- if she ever thought about that dance. She had deflected, distracted him. But truly, she thinks about it all the time.

After he has gone, she lets out a shaky breath and wobbles in her stilettos.

"Miss Potts, are you alright?" Jarvis's soothing voice asks, artificial concern underlying his tone.

"I'm fine, Jarvis. Thank you." she responds almost mechanically. Sometimes she would be lost without Jarvis to relay what happens with Tony on missions. But for now, she's just glad that the artificial intelligence can't tell when she's lying.

-

He comes back with bullet holes decorating his suit. It isn't the first time it's happened and Potts is sure it won't be the last, but it never fails to leave her distressed. He throat goes dry and panic floods her system. She's at a loss, threadbare, and frayed at the edges from a week of worry. She doesn't know how much more of this she can stand.

He takes off his mask and gives her a tired grin. "I smell, Potts."

Pepper laughs, nervously but it's the first real laugh she's had all week.

The mechanical arms take off his suit and he stumbles when he's out, exhausted. Pepper helps support him to his couch because she's not sure if he can make it any farther. He slumps back heavily, she notices bruises forming on his face, and that he's right. He does smell. She smiles but wrinkles her nose, but both quickly falter when she notices the patch of red spreading across his abdomen.

"Oh, that." he mutters when he notices her gaze. "It's nothing."

She lifts up his shirt -made of a material that is supposed to keep him from sweating in his suit, but has failed miserably - despite his feeble protest and sucks in a sharp breath through her teeth.

"Really, Potts, its nothing." he mutters tiredly.

"Mr. Stark-" she protests, because it isn't nothing. It's long and shallow, but it's still bleeding. Her stomach twists.

"It's nothing." he cuts her off, so tired he can barely keep his eyes open.

In a flash of anger, she stands up straight, to her full height -a trick that has worked on Tony a few times in the past. "Jarvis, what's your opinion?" she asks the air with an edge to her words.

Tony sighs, knowing he's lost.

"I think that Mr. Stark is in need of medical attention." the artificial intelligence chimes in, sounding almost smug. Or, as smug as an artificial voice can.

"I'm not going to a hospital." Tony shakes his head, stubborn.

"Tony-" Pepper tries, only to be cut off again.

"I'm tired and I'm hungry. A trip to the hospital is not on my agenda."

Pepper sighs and goes to get the first aid kit.

-

Three rolls of gauze, two sexual jokes, and a wince later, Tony is bandaged. Pepper is still not sure that it's enough, because she's sure he needs stitches. But her boss is not willing to comply.

He dozed off before she was finished doctoring him and she takes the time to re-work his schedule so he had the next two days off with plenty of time to see a doctor. She also calls Happy and tells him to pick up some food for Tony.

While Tony sleeps, Pepper watches him. She watches his eyes flutter as he dreams. She watches as he winces and smiles, wondering exactly what he's dreaming about.

Because that's what it's like, working for Mr. Stark. It makes her crazy, hectic, and worried but she wouldn't trade it. Except that is, for Tony himself.


End file.
